Chairman:

I welcome the witnesses from the community health care organisations, including Mr. David Walsh, chief officer, and Dr. Brendan McCormack, executive clinical director, from CHO area 7; Mr. Pat Bennett, chief officer, and Ms Anne Kennedy, head of finance, CHO area 8; and Ms Mary Walshe, chief officer, and Ms Angela Walsh, head of mental health services, CHO area 9. On behalf of the committee, I thank them for attending the meeting. The format of the meeting is that each chief officer will be invited to make a brief opening statement which will be followed by questions and answers.

Before beginning, I draw the witnesses' attention to privilege. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members should be aware that under the salient rulings of the Chair, they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I ask members and witnesses to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off or placed in flight mode as they caused considerable disturbance with the broadcasting equipment last week. Mobile phones interfere with the system and make it difficult for parliamentary reporters to report the meeting. In addition, television coverage and web streaming may be adversely affected.

Any submission or opening statement made to the joint committee will be published on the committee website after this meeting. I invite each of the chief officers to make their opening statement.